Painted the bedroom ceiling today--a job I hate, but the non splatter roller I got works great! Really cut down on prep. Just have a sore neck--but a pristine ceiling. no more smoking in the house now.

I too am cream crackered--saving the walls for tomorrow--easiest part of the job.

Morning all No snow here yet but howling a gale and bitterly cold so thats 1 out 4 the forecasters have got right . Now waiting for rain, sleet and snow. Hope you are right about the 3 days of warmth, Gary.

Dean. Hope you are feeling better soon . Tell Norah to keep her germs to herslf.

Need to feed the birds again - we seem to be overun with blackbirds. It wasn't long ago I was asking if anyone had seen any.

The BBC news suggests that building snowmen will help prevent floods, so I hope you all going to be out there doing your bit

Cold here this morning, but as Gary says, it should be the last really cold day for a while. I hope so. I have got a friend coming tomorrow to stay overnight from Nottingham, just hope she can make it as we are having a friends and family get together for my birthday and are all going out for a meal to the pub in the next village. Nephew coming from London, but expect trains will be OK

Lots to do today, puddings to make for tomorrow evening, just having starters and mains at pub, then back here for puds, cheese and biscuits, and drinks I will be thinking of Bjay as she is doing the same thing.

What have I let myself in for.

Hope you all have a nice day and a belated welcome to all our new forkers

For those following my glittering stage career I have to report that I made an unscheduled appearance last night Stage Manager opened curtains while we were still scene shifting and I had to get off quick. Unfortunately a snow-drift (wooden not water-based) barred my way and in my haste to get past I tripped over, fell on it and damaged it. The rest of the crew said it was hilarious The local press were in to review the show

Slept wonderfully until guess what? The boiler started with it's morse code whistle, then got more persistant, so I stomped into bathroom to sort it out, before coming down to make cuppas etc.

Got beaten to bathroom by others so am now up, plus 2cnd coffee of day, still not dressed, but need to go out to birds, compost bin & a wheely bin, which is kept around the front side of house- not ideal in dresssing gown.